A great number of targets and traps for BB gun-type use have been available for some time.
A great number of these have non-destrubtible targets, which, upon being struck by a projectile, move to a position "out of view." In many of these types of devices, the shooter is required to advance to the target assembly in order to reset the targets to a visible position during the course of shooting.
This interruption greatly disturbs the concentration of the shooter.
Further, if more than one shooter is using the target assembly, there is always the possibility that one of the shooters may be struck inadvertently by another while he is approaching, or at the target, to reset it.
Hence, there is a need for a target assembly which is resettable by the shooter during the course of his shooting by striking one or more of the targets themselves.
It is to be appreciated that such targets, even for use with BB guns, must be rugged in order that repeated impact by the BB projectile do not cause malfunction of the targets by damaging the resetting mechanism therein.
A number of resettable targets have been developed, however, heretofore, these targets incorporated relatively elaborate mechanical linkages interconnecting individual targets and a master target which caused the release or resetting of the individual targets upon being struck by a projectile.
Complicated spring and linkage arrangements necesssary for remotely setting the individual targets are undesirable for a number of reasons. First, because of the repeated impacts of projectiles glancing off the interior surfaces of a target/trap assembly, such springs and linkages may be broken or nicked, causing burrs thereon, which may thereafter cause malfunction of the remote resetting capability of the target/trap assembly. Second, such springs and linkages provide additional surfaces off which the projectiles may glance, or bounce, out of the target/trap assembly, thereby causing damage or injury to surrounding areas or persons.
As an example of such prior art, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,784 to Lawrence, dated Nov. 19, 1968. In this device a number of individual targets are suspended from a common rod and upon being struck by a projectile, swing upwardly until they strike and rest upon a support rod.
A master target is positioned to within the target assembly, such that when the master target is struck, a bar attached thereto pushes the individual targets off of the supporting rod and allows them to drop into a reset position.
It is immediately apparent from an examination of this device that the individual targets, as well as the linkages including the support rods and target arms, are in full view of the shooter when the targets are in an unset position. As hereinabove pointed out, these additional surfaces are exposed to incoming projectiles and may be dented thereby or deflect projectiles back out of the target assembly and into the area of the shooter.
If the linkages in the Lawrence device were covered with sheet metal or the like, to prevent exposure of the linkages to the incoming projectiles, the protective sheet metal would necessarily have to have an opening therein, through which the master target could be struck, in order to reset the individual targets.
Unfortunately, if this were done, there would be a large relatively flat perpendicular surface exposed to the shooter surrounding the master target from which projectiles would most likely bounce rearwardly into the area of the shooter, creating a potential for either injury or damage to the shooter, and the surrounding area, i.e., the target could not serve as a trap for the projectiles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,559 to Davidson, dated Oct. 29, 1974, shows another approach to a remotely resettable target for small bore rifle practice which utilizes a central master target element and secondary target elements, all being pivoted on a common axis. In this instance, however, all of the targets are spring-loaded and the targets are resettable only with the use of cams and the like.
While such complex mechanical linkages may operate initially, there is a question as to the durability and longevity of the device because of its complex nature. Furthermore, the large number of parts necessary to assemble such a target impose an increased cost of production, which is undesirable in the competitive market of shooting accessories.
The present invention is directed to a target and a target/trap assembly which is durable, economical to produce, and simple an operation. Individual targets visible to the shooter when in a set position, are moved to an unset position, at which no portion of the target is in the view of shooter, i.e., neither the target or any arms linking the target to pivot positions are exposed after the target is moved to an unset position by a projectile. Hence, it is unlikely that the individual targets would be accidentally reset by an incoming projectile.
Additionally, the target assembly, in accordance with the present invention, may be utilized as a holder for a conventional-type paper target and provide a trap herebehind for catching projectiles passing through the paper-type target.